INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Two people have been brought into the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office for questioning, Sheriff Deryl Loar announced Monday evening. The two persons of interest are believed to have helped assist two men escape the jail early this morning.
The sheriff would not describe the two people and would not say if they are male or female. However, he said authorities believe they “have a lot to do with” the escape of Leviticus Taylor, 25, and Rondell Reed, 51.
“I’m very confident there will be two arrests tonight,” Sheriff Loar said, referring to the two people.
He said they are associates of one of the escapees but would not say which one. He said the pair assisted Taylor and Reed flee the scene in a Jeep Cherokee. The vehicle has been recovered.
Sheriff Loar credited social media, text messages and emails for assisting in the case.
He called social media a “tremendous help” in cultivating an “extensive lead.”
The sheriff declined to elaborate on how social media has assisted.
While authorities have not yet determined where the escaped inmates are, Sheriff Loar said he believes they are in “jurisdictions very near by” but not in Indian River County.
Authorities believe one is north of Indian River County and the other is south.
“We are working on that feverishly,” Sheriff Loar said of discerning Taylor and Reed’s whereabouts.
Sheriff Loar would not say which inmate was the “mastermind” behind the escape attempt, noting that one had the local ties and contacts – Taylor – and the other might have had the knowledge – Reed.
Taylor is a local resident who has lived most his life in Indian River County. Authorities have described him as social and having multiple girlfriends.
Reed has ties outside the immediate area has successfully escaped prison in North Carolina and was involved in a shoot-out with law enforcement during that escape many years ago.
Taylor was recently convicted of first degree murder in a case from 2009. Sheriff Loar described him as a man with nothing to lose.
Reed was awaiting trial in a first degree murder case from earlier this year. He is accused of shooting and killing the owner of Jim’s Auto on US 1.
Anyone with information about the escape or the inmates’ locations is asked to call 911.
